my kinsman-第3部分

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they　would　end　my　difficulties；　by　setting　me　there　to…night。〃



Nevertheless；　the　youth　felt　an　instinctive　antipathy　towards　the

guardian　of　midnight　order；　which　at　first　prevented　him　from

asking　his　usual　question。　But　just　when　the　man　was　about　to

vanish　behind　the　corner；　Robin　resolved　not　to　lose　the

opportunity；　and　shouted　lustily　after　him；　〃I　say；　friend！　will

you　guide　me　to　the　house　of　my　kinsman；　Major　Molineux？〃



The　watchman　made　no　reply；　but　turned　the　corner　and　was　gone；

yet　Robin　seemed　to　hear　the　sound　of　drowsy　laughter　stealing

along　the　solitary　street。　At　that　moment；　also；　a　pleasant

titter　saluted　him　from　the　open　window　above　his　head；　he　looked

up；　and　caught　the　sparkle　of　a　saucy　eye；　a　round　arm　beckoned

to　him；　and　next　he　heard　light　footsteps　descending　the

staircase　within。　But　Robin；　being　of　the　household　of　a　New

England　clergyman；　was　a　good　youth；　as　well　as　a　shrewd　one；　so

he　resisted　temptation；　and　fled　away。



He　now　roamed　desperately；　and　at　random；　through　the　town；

almost　ready　to　believe　that　a　spell　was　on　him；　like　that　by

which　a　wizard　of　his　country　had　once　kept　three　pursuers

wandering；　a　whole　winter　night；　within　twenty　paces　of　the

cottage　which　they　sought。　The　streets　lay　before　him；　strange

and　desolate；　and　the　lights　were　extinguished　in　almost　every

house。　Twice；　however；　little　parties　of　men；　among　whom　Robin

distinguished　individuals　in　outlandish　attire；　came　hurrying

along；　but；　though　on　both　occasions；　they　paused　to　address　him

such　intercourse　did　not　at　all　enlighten　his　perplexity。　They

did　but　utter　a　few　words　in　some　language　of　which　Robin　knew

nothing；　and　perceiving　his　inability　to　answer；　bestowed　a　curse

upon　him　in　plain　English　and　hastened　away。　Finally；　the　lad

determined　to　knock　at　the　door　of　every　mansion　that　might

appear　worthy　to　be　occupied　by　his　kinsman；　trusting　that

perseverance　would　overcome　the　fatality　that　had　hitherto

thwarted　him。　Firm　in　this　resolve；　he　was　passing　beneath　the

walls　of　a　church；　which　formed　the　corner　of　two　streets；　when；

as　he　turned　into　the　shade　of　its　steeple；　he　encountered　a

bulky　stranger　muffled　in　a　cloak。　The　man　was　proceeding　with

the　speed　of　earnest　business；　but　Robin　planted　himself　full

before　him；　holding　the　oak　cudgel　with　both　hands　across　his

body　as　a　bar　to　further　passage



〃Halt；　honest　man；　and　answer　me　a　question；〃　said　he；　very

resolutely。　〃Tell　me；　this　instant；　whereabouts　is　the　dwelling

of　my　kinsman；　Major　Molineux！〃



〃Keep　your　tongue　between　your　teeth；　fool；　and　let　me　pass！〃

said　a　deep；　gruff　voice；　which　Robin　partly　remembered。　〃Let　me

pass；　or　I'll　strike　you　to　the　earth！〃



〃No；　no；　neighbor！〃　cried　Robin；　flourishing　his　cudgel；　and　then

thrusting　its　larger　end　close　to　the　man's　muffled　face。　〃No；

no；　I'm　not　the　fool　you　take　me　for；　nor　do　you　pass　till　I　have

an　answer　to　my　question。　Whereabouts　is　the　dwelling　of　my

kinsman；　Major　Molineux？〃　The　stranger；　instead　of　attempting　to

force　his　passage；　stepped　back　into　the　moonlight；　unmuffled　his

face；　and　stared　full　into　that　of　Robin。



〃Watch　here　an　hour；　and　Major　Molineux　will　pass　by；〃　said　he。



Robin　gazed　with　dismay　and　astonishment　on　the　unprecedented

physiognomy　of　the　speaker。　The　forehead　with　its　double

prominence　the　broad　hooked　nose；　the　shaggy　eyebrows；　and　fiery

eyes　were　those　which　he　had　noticed　at　the　inn；　but　the　man's

complexion　had　undergone　a　singular；　or；　more　properly；　a　twofold

change。　One　side　of　the　face　blazed　an　intense　red；　while　the

other　was　black　as　midnight；　the　division　line　being　in　the　broad

bridge　of　the　nose；　and　a　mouth　which　seemed　to　extend　from　ear

to　ear　was　black　or　red；　in　contrast　to　the　color　of　the　cheek。

The　effect　was　as　if　two　individual　devils；　a　fiend　of　fire　and　a

fiend　of　darkness；　had　united　themselves　to　form　this　infernal

visage。　The　stranger　grinned　in　Robin's　face；　muffled　his

party…colored　features；　and　was　out　of　sight　in　a　moment。



〃Strange　things　we　travellers　see！〃　ejaculated　Robin。



He　seated　himself；　however；　upon　the　steps　of　the　church…door；

resolving　to　wait　the　appointed　time　for　his　kinsman。　A　few

moments　were　consumed　in　philosophical　speculations　upon　the

species　of　man　who　had　just　left　him；　but　having　settled　this

point　shrewdly；　rationally；　and　satisfactorily；　he　was　compelled

to　look　elsewhere　for　his　amusement。　And　first　he　threw　his　eyes

along　the　street。　It　was　of　more　respectable　appearance　than　most

of　those　into　which　he　had　wandered；　and　the　moon；　creating；　like

the　imaginative　power；　a　beautiful　strangeness　in　familiar

objects；　gave　something　of　romance　to　a　scene　that　might　not　have

possessed　it　in　the　light　of　day。　The　irregular　and　often　quaint

architecture　of　the　houses；　some　of　whose　roofs　were　broken　into

numerous　little　peaks；　while　others　ascended；　steep　and　narrow；

into　a　single　point；　and　others　again　were　square；　the　pure

snow…white　of　some　of　their　complexions；　the　aged　darkness　of

others；　and　the　thousand　sparklings；　reflected　from　bright

substances　in　the　walls　of　many；　these　matters　engaged　Robin's

attention　for　a　while；　and　then　began　to　grow　wearisome。　Next　he

endeavored　to　define　the　forms　of　distant　objects；　starting　away；

with　almost　ghostly　indistinctness；　just　as　his　eye　appeared　to

grasp　them；　and　finally　he　took　a　minute　survey　of　an　edifice

which　stood　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　street；　directly　in　front

of　the　church…door；　where　he　was　stationed。　It　was　a　large；

square　mansion；　distinguished　from　its　neighbors　by　a　balcony；

which　rested　on　tall　pillars；　and　by　an　elaborate　Gothic　window；

communicating　therewith。



〃Perhaps　this　is　the　very　house　I　have　been　seeking；〃　thought

Robin。



Then　he　strove　to　speed　away　the　time；　by　listening　to　a　murmur

which　swept　continually　along　the　street；　yet　was　scarcely

audible；　except　to　an　unaccustomed　ear　like　his；　it　was　a　low；

dull；　dreamy　sound；　compounded　of　many　noises；　each　of　which　was

at　too　great　a　distance　to　be　separately　heard。　Robin　marvelled

at　this　snore　of　a　sleeping　town；　and　marvelled　more　whenever　its

continuity　was　broken　by　now　and　then　a　distant　shout；　apparently

loud　where　it　originated。　But　altogether　it　was　a　sleep…inspiring

sound；　and；　to　shake　off　its　drowsy　influence；　Robin　arose；　and

climbed　a　window…frame；　that　he　might　view　the　interior　of　the

church。　There　the　moonbeams　came　trembling　in；　and　fell　down　upon

the　deserted　pews；　and　extended　along　the　quiet　aisles。　A　fainter

yet　more　awful　radiance　was　hovering　around　the　pulpit；　and　one

solitary　ray　had　dared　to　rest　upon　the　open　page　of　the　great

Bible。　Had　nature；　in　that　deep　hour；　become　a　worshipper　in　the

house　which　man　had　builded？　Or　was　that　heavenly　light　the

visible　sanctity　of　the　place；visible　because　no　earthly　and

impure　feet　were　within　the　walls？　The　scene　made　Robin's　heart

shiver　with　a　sensation　of　loneliness　stronger　than　he　had　ever

felt　in　the　remotest　depths　of　his　native　woods；　so　he　turned

away　and　sat　down　again　before　the　door。　There　were　graves　around

the　church；　and　now　an　uneasy　thought　obtruded　into　Robin's

breast。　What　if　the　object　of　his　search；　which　had　been　so　often

and　so　strangely　thwarted；　were　all　the　time　mouldering　in　his

shroud？　What　if　his　kinsman　should　glide　through　yonder　gate；　and

nod　and　smile　to　him　in　dimly　passing　by？



〃Oh　that　any　breathing　thing　were　here　with　me！〃　said　Robin。



Recalling　his　thoughts　from　this　uncomfortable　track；　he　sent

them　over　forest；　hill；　and　stream；　and　attempted　to　imagine　how

that　evening　of　ambiguity　and　weariness　had　been　spent　by　his

father's　household。　He　pictured　them　assembled　at　the　door；

beneath　the　tree；　the　great　old　tree；　which　had　been　spared　for

its　huge　twisted　trunk　and　venerable　shade；　when　a　thousand　leafy

brethren　fell。　There；　at　the　going　down　of　the　summer　sun；　it　was

his　father's　custom　to　perform　domestic　worship　that　the

neighbors　might　come　and　join　with　him　like　brothers　of　the

family；　and　that　the　wayfaring　man　might　pause　to　drink　at　that

fountain；　and　keep　his　heart　pure　by　freshening　the　memory　of

home。　Robin　distinguished　the　seat　of　every　individual　of　the

little　audience；　he　saw　the　good　man　in　the　midst；　holding　the

Scriptures　in　the　golden　light　that　fell　from　the　western　clouds；

he　beheld　him　close　the　book　and　all　rise　up　to　pray。　He　heard

the　old　thanksgivings　for　daily　mercies；　the　old　supplications

for　their　continuance　to　which　he　had　so　often　listened　in

weariness；　but　which　were　now　among　his　dear　remembrances。　He

perceived　the　slight　inequality　of　his　father's　voice　when　he

came　to　speak　of　the　absent　one；　he　noted　how　his　mother　turned

her　face　to　the　broad　and　knotted　trunk；　how　his　elder　brother

scorned；　because　the　beard　was　rough　upon　his　upper　lip；　to

permit　his　features　to　be　moved；　how　the　younger　sister　drew　down

a　low　hanging　branch　before　her　eyes；　and　how　the　little　one　of

all；　whose　sports　had　hitherto　broken　the　decorum　of　the　scene；

understood　the　prayer　for　her　playmate；　and　burst　into　clamorous

grief。　Then　he　saw　them　go　in　at　the　door；　and　when　Robin　would

have　entered　also；　the　latch　tinkled　into　its　place；　and　he　was

excluded　from　his　home。



〃Am　I　here；　or　there？〃　cried　Robin；　starting；　for　all　at　once；

when　his　thoughts　had　become　visible　and　audible　in　a　dream；　the

long；　wide；　solitary　street　shone　out　before　him。



He　aroused　himself；　and　endeavored　to　fix　his　attention　steadily

upon　the　large　edifice　which　he　had　surveyed　before。　But　still

his　mind　kept　vibrating　between　fancy　and　reality；　by　turns；　the

pillars　of　the　balcony　lengthened　into　the　tall；　bare　stems　of

pines；　dwindled　down　to　human　figures；　settled　again　into　their

true　shape　and　size；　and　then　commenced　a　new　succession　of

changes。　For　a　single